Hiro Mashima remains very active, but despite his new manga, the series that has made the biggest impression is Fairy Tail. Published from 2006 to 2017, this work touched many viewers and readers. However, it could have achieved even greater recognition if the author hadn't made this mistake.
Fairy Tail: A Shonen As Loved As It Is Reviled
Fairy Tail has a rather unusual reputation. While it marked the childhood of an entire generation, it has also received a lot of criticism. The manga is often considered the typical example of basic and opportunistic shonen. It offers a classic adventure where the power of friendship reigns supreme, all accompanied by a good dose of fan service. Are these criticisms justified? Yes and no.
In fact, what we criticize about Fairy Tail can also be criticized about other shonen manga. We're thinking in particular of One Piece, a manga that Mashima was inspired by. That said, he stood out thanks to the universe he created, the quality of his drawings, and his exceptional productivity. Unfortunately, if Fairy Tail isn't recognized today as a major shonen, it's largely because of its antagonists.
Fairy Tail Missed Its Villains
Every great shonen has one or more iconic villains. Is this the case with Fairy Tail? Well, no. The manga certainly introduced characters like Jellal or God Serena, who had the potential to become iconic, but none truly marked the series as they should have. The reasons are multiple: they often end up repenting, which lessens their role as villains; their numbers are high, which multiplies the fights but dilutes their impact; and above all, it's not Mashima's priority, who prefers to focus on adventure and heroes. Unfortunately, this also applies to the manga's two main villains.
Zeleph and Acnologia are the two ultimate villains of Fairy Tail. Zeref fits the profile mentioned above more closely, particularly due to his split personality. However, unlike others, he occupies a central place in the plot. Mashima gave him great depth, with a terribly tragic love story. Yet, the magic never really worked. Zeleph didn't live up to expectations in the last arc, proving to be one of the least interesting villains of the final part, notably with an underdeveloped relationship with Natsu. For comparison, Mard Geer had more of the makings of a final villain than he did.
As for Acnologia, he takes Zeref's place at the very end. Unlike the latter, he's truly evil. He had a great reputation among fans, but everything was ruined in the final moments. A victim of Mashima's final rush, he is defeated by a bizarre method and, even worse, he also experiences a form of redemption. He was the character who shouldn't have changed, but Mashima once again put love and friendship before everything else.
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